Kota Kinabalu: The scaling-up of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Sabah will be one of the key agendas of the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Transport starting in 2026, said Deputy Chief Minister III cum Minister, Datuk Ewon Benedick.
He said the move is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to raise household income and reduce poverty rates in the state.
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As such, he will introduce new ministry-level initiatives next year, in addition to the new measures under the 2026 State Budget, which will be tabled tomorrow.
“I will be introducing several new initiatives under the ministry, particularly those that can be implemented by the Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR) to enhance the scaling of MSME entrepreneurs,” he said.
Ewon said this when met by reporters after a working visit to DIDR, where he also received a briefing from its Director, Siti Nur’Ain Abdullah.
He said entrepreneur development data in Sabah must be harmonised, as only slightly over 8,000 entrepreneurs are currently registered as DIDR members, while the number of business owners statewide is estimated to exceed 100,000 based on business licence records.
“When I was in KUSKOP, more than 53,000 MSME entrepreneurs in Sabah received assistance last year. All these datasets must be aligned so that MSME scaling plans can be carried out more systematically.
“That is why I am making MSME scaling one of my ministry’s major agendas, because scaling up these businesses naturally creates new job opportunities, which supports our vision of increasing people’s income,” he said.
Ewon said he will continue his visits to all departments and agencies under his ministry.
“I will be visiting SOGIP this Saturday, followed by the Department of Ports and Harbours.
“My visit to DIDR today is part of a series of engagements with all agencies under the ministry.
“Once I fully understand their roles and direction, I will introduce new initiatives, particularly those related to entrepreneurship development,” he said.
Citing an example, Ewon revealed that about 80 per cent of lots at the Sabah Agro Industrial Park (SAIP) in Papar are still not in operation.
“We need a promotional package to encourage entrepreneurs to choose SAIP as their business base,” he said.
He also shared that several days ago, he met with Bank Rakyat to explore cooperation on marketing and financial support for industrial parks across Sabah.
“All these will be officially announced in early February next year, as I prefer not to announce any initiative without going through proper procedures, including obtaining Cabinet approval, especially when it involves financial implications,” he added.
Ewon stressed that the Sabah First vision under his ministry is centred on increasing the income of the people through a stronger entrepreneurship ecosystem.
“Sabah is often labelled as a state with many of the poorest districts. So how do we improve income levels?
“Firstly, through business ownership—whether micro, small, medium, or large enterprises.
“Secondly, through the job opportunities created within these businesses,” he said.
He added that MSME scaling programmes are crucial, as business growth will generate new employment opportunities and subsequently raise the income of Sabahans.
At the same time, he said the ministry and its agencies must provide the highest level of service.
“When I say the ministry must deliver excellent service, I must be the first to lead by example,” he said.
